There already exist walls containing, between two panels, joints composed of two parts with cylindrical and parallel forms, united laterally by a band and having the advantage of constituting a tight joint between two panels when one introduces the cylindrical parts mentioned in grooves of appropriate sections arranged along the edges of two consecutive panels.
Such a wall, however, remains tight only with extremely slight displacements of the panels, and the joints which one interposes cannot be adequate, even when the sections of the grooves present a constriction intended to prevent the cylindrical parts from escaping from the joint if, because of various constraints due to the subsidence of the terrain, the mobility of clay or loam, etc., at least one of the two consecutive panels sways or tilts to a considerable degree in any one direction. Even if a pliable band capable of changing its shape is provided, the tensions to which it has to submit may bring about a rupture or uncertain zones of tightness resulting from cracking of the surrounding medium.
The principal purpose of the present invention is therefore a wall that remains tight despite displacements of the panels which it contains, with this characteristic that it provides for extensible joints capable of changing their shape, without the creation of tensions between two consecutive panels.
Another purpose of the invention is a wall of this type, the joint of which consists of two elements of cylindrical and parallel forms, connected laterally by a band, with this characteristic that on this band one provides for at least one longitudinal fold of such a kind that, whatever the amplitude of the displacement allowed the two consecutive panels, the increase of the distance separating the cylindrical parts of the joint is at least equal to the width of the unfolded band.
In this way, in contrast to the older walls where the very anchoring or fixing of the cylindrical parts of the joints in the grooves often brought about considerable tensions resulting in the rupture of the bands or in a considerable reduction of the tightness, the new wall insures a perfect tightness even in those cases where after the displacement of the panels fissures appear in the outer medium in which they are immersed, the deformation of the band without the development of tensions eliminating all risk of rupture or the beginning of rupture. Other purposes and characteristics of the invention will appear in the course of the following detailed description, made with reference to the attached drawing which shows, by way of a non-restrictive example, a method of carrying out the invention and some variants.